Radiator cap



- April 2, 1929- H. s. PARDEE ET AL 1,707,365

RADIATOR CAP Filed May 27. 1921 34 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

' UNITED STATES HARVEY s. PARDEE AND JOHN'A. nnwmn, or cnioAGo, ILL ivoIs, ASSIGNORS, 'BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE Ki GsLE -MILLER COMPANY, )OF CHICAGO, ILLI- NOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS! RADIATOR CAPQ Y Application filed May 27,

" vide an improved motometer lock which cannot; be unlocked or removed from; the radiator. except. removing the radiator from the car, as, for example, when repair-y ing the radiator; A further objectis to provide not only a rugged structure but one which is 'ornamentalas well,- having. a cover plate in front on which the monogramfof :the owner, the name of the car or some ornamental design may be placed 'conspicu-v ous position. I.

In the accompanying drawings, 1n which 25' two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated,

Fig. 1 is afro'nt elevation of one formof -upperTends of'said grooves.

-height' or width of the'fiange' 11 below the lower end-oi the cap is insuflicientv to per thedevice; i 7 4 Fig. 2 is-a section in-two different planes ontheline 2%2 of .Fig. 1-; ;i

Fig. 3 isa side elevationof the device partly in. sectionyand.

Fig; 4 is an elevation, partly section of v another form of the invention. I The structureshownin Figs. 1, 'Zand .3- comprisesxa main supportingi'rmg or' adapt er l0, havingan enlarged lower' flange 11, 7-

I which is internally screw threade'd'to en- "ornamentalextensions ori-arms 115, which gage the screw-threaded upper end of the radiator neck 12. The. adapter 10 is sur-' rounded by the body of. the cap in the form of a second ring 13, locked'to-th'ef adapter by a piston ring 14, received within suitable grooves in the twomembers. After one part has been telescoped overthe other until thegroovesmatch, the piston'r'ing,

which is under compression, snaps into place, i. e., it expands and overlaps the,

joint thereby locking the parts together although permitting thecap toirotate about the adapter. fSaid cap may be of any-suit able design 3 and is shown as provided with may also serve as convenient handles forrotating 1t.

'In order to lock the outer and inner rings against" relative rotation in one directionwhile. permitting i'rcerelative rotation 'in the opposite direction, we provlde prefer?- ably a pair of ball clutche s' arranged onopposlte sides of the inner ring. Each com-2 prises a steel ball l6 carried loosely within;

aninclined slot 17, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 \Vhen the handles 15 are grasped: and

the outer ring rotated in a direction stoic screw'the inner ring down over the screwthreaded 'neck:12, the balls 16, which are lower end o f' their respective slots thereby gripping the inner ring 10 andpermitting its screw-threaded extension 11 to I screwed down hardon said neck. Rotating the outer ring 13'-1n a direction to unscrew the device from the radiator results simply in free rotation of the outer ring 13 upon the inner ring 10,'as the balls16 are rolled up their inclinedgrooves by friction far enough'to release their grip on the adjacent surfaceslbut not far enough to bind atthe mitof theapplication of an ordinaryv tool such a Stillson wrench so that "after the device has once been screwed. into place, it rs'impossible to remove it, as long'as the ra- The vertical -diator remains onthe car and right side up In order to insure further against theft,

however, we may provide a loose collar 18,

the shoulderat the upper endthereof. If

00' surrounding said flange 11 and ,restingon this collar weregripped bya-pipe wrench, I

said collar would simply rotate about flange 11, thereby preventing unauthorized re-f moval of the device. I

It will be noted that ifthe entire radiator is removed in repairingthe same in a garage,

for example, said radiator may then be turned upside down, resulting in the reversal of the locking action of the ball clutches.

That is, in an invertedposition the balls tend to .rollto the opposite ends of the grooves 17, asaresult of'which the outer ring may "rotate the 'inn'erring in a directlon' to permit unscrewing of the ,devlcetroin 2 3 the radiator, but the cap will turn freely when rotated in the opposite direction.

The cap includes a hinged cover 19, the hinge being arranged preferably at the front. Said hinge consists of a pin 20, passing through two lugs on the cap and a single lug on the cover. The hole for the pin does not pass completely throughone of said cap lugs, making it dii'licult or impossible to drive the pin out. Said pin has a driving fit in said cap lugs, rendering it difiicult or impossible to withdraw said pin,'as the exposed end does not project beyond its supporting lug.

A knurled locking screw 21 passes loosely through an opening in the rear of said cover and engages within a screw-threaded recess 22, to lock the cover in place. Said cover is provided with a beveled undersurface 23, arranged to bear against a yielding gasket 24, made preferably of rubber to insure that the cap when closed will. be water-tight and steam-tight. Said rubber gasket rests on 'thin metallic gasket 25, comprising'preferably a flat ring of brass or copper. During relative rotation of the outer and inner rings the rubber gasket has a tendency to adhereto said outer ring and would also tend to adhere to the top of the inner ring on whichit rests were it not for the copper. gasket, which slides freely on said mner rmg, thereby preventing the rubber gasket from bind-- ing and restricting the turning movement.

The motometer 26 may be of any suitable type either the thermometer type or the electrio signal type and is held to thecap between a shoulder 2'? and a nut 28, on its screw threaded stem 29. Said stem also carries a second nut 80 hearing against a washer 31, of some soft metal such as annealed brass or copper and having a raised central portion.

Said washer is of such diameter as to be re ceived loosely within the undercut groove 32.

I In assembling the parts, the nut 30 is tight ened until the crowned washer 31 flattens out somewhat and increases its diameter sufziciently to lockit permanently within the groove 32. This washer prevents access to the nut 28, which holds the motometer to the cap, and thus prevents removal of the motometer from the cap. Accidental or intentional loosening or removal ofthe nut 30 does not result'in loosening the washer 31, which cannot be removed except by destroying or otherwise mutilating the washer or some other part of the structure.

The front part of the ring 13 is enlarged to form asupport for a plate 33. Said plate may carry any suitable insignia and may be ornamental. It is shown in the form of a shield bearing the initial of the owner. It is readily turned to face the front by simply rotating the outer ring by means of the In filling the radiator with water the op erator simply unscrews the fastening screw 21 and swings the cap up. If the motom eter is in the way, in this position, the entire cap may be turned until the shield faces the rear After filling the radiator thecap is turned farther in the same direction to bring it to normal position. i

' Fig. 4- shows a modification wherein the outer ring 34%, conceals the lower end of the inner rin and prevents the application of a wrench thereto. Said lower end may he internally screw-threaded as in Fig. 8 or in either form of the devicethe lower eX- tension may be exteriorally screw-threaded to apply to radiator inlets which are screwthreaded on the inside instead of the outside. Such a screw-threaded extension is shown at 35 Fig. 4. 1 p

It will be seen that we have provided a construction which. is ver rugged, which can be readily applied to tie radiator withping the cap with some standard lock necessitating the carryingof an additionalkey which latter is always'ob ect1onable.

Various modifications of the structure illustrated herein, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims. J I

We claim as our invention: 1.. In combination, a motometer, a cap supQ porting the same and having supporting lugs, means forlocking said cap to a radiator neck, said means coinprisinga pin having a driving fit within andpassing partlythrough the supporting lugs, means for lockmg said motometer to said cap. comprlslng an annular groove in said cap, a screwthreaded extension on said motometer, a

nut on said screw-threadedextension, and a washer with an offset central portion gen-- gaged by said nut whereby-said washer may be spread to enter said groove andpermanently lock said motometer in place.

2. A device of the type'described comprising' an annular hollow member adapted to be connected to a rad1ator,'a movable cover for said member, retaining means securing the cover against theft, said cover having an opening therein adapted to receive the shank of a motometer with locking means therefor on the inside of the cover, an annular en gaging portion on the interior of the cover,

and a member disposed onv said engagingportion whereby access to the motometer;

locking means is prevented, said annularengaging portion having the formof an under-f out V-shaped,groove with one wallfacing downwardly forming a shoulder and the other wall of the groove extending downwardly and inwardly making an acute angle with said shoulder. v

3. The combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough and having .means for attachment to the filling open ing of a radiator, an external collar fitting around said internal collar, a closure for said external. collar, means permanently securing said closure to the external collar, said means permitting the closure to be moved to permit access to the interior of said collar. and means locking together said collars against theft.

4. The combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough and having means for-attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external collar fitting around said internal collar, a closure for said external collar having an opening adapted to receive a motometer, a pivot'pin permanently securing said closure to the ex.-

ternal collar, and means locking together said collars against theft.

5. The combinationof an internal collar. having an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external collar movably fitting aroundsaid internal collar when the device is assembled for use,a closure forsaid external collar having an openpin permanently securing said closure to the external collar, and'means locking together said collars against theft.

6. The combination of an internal. collar having an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external collar fitting around said internal collar, a closure for said external collar having an opening adapted to receive a motoineter, a pivot pm permanently securing said closure to the external collar, and separate non-integral means enclosed between and lockingtogethe said collars against theft. r

7. The combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough and'having means for attachment to the'threaded filling opening of a' radiator, an external collar movably fitting around said internal collar when the device is assembled for use, a closure for said external collar having an openin adapted to receive amotomet'er, a pivot pin permanently securing said closure to the external collar, and separate non-integral means enclosed between and locking together said collars, against theft. ,7

8. The combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external collar tting around said internal collar, a closure for said external collar having an opening adapted to receive a motometer, a pivot pin mg adapted toreceive a motometena pivotv permanently securing said "closure to the external collar, means locking together said f collars against theft and-means permitting relative rotation between the collars in. one direction but preventing relative rotation in the other direction. v

9. The combination of an internal collar having, an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external col- 'lar surrounding, said internal collar, a.

closurefor said external collar; adapted to carry an auxiliary, device, means permanently securing saidclosure to the external collar, said means permitting the closure. to

be moved to permit access to the interior of curing said closure to thelexternal collar,

and means maintainingsaid collars in assembled relation againsttheft- 11. The combination. of an internal collar having. an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded a closure for said external collar adapted'to carry an auxiliary device, a pivotpin per manently securing said closure to the external collar, and means 'maintaining said 001- lars in assembled relation against theft.

The combinationof an internal collar having an opening therethrough and having filling opening of a radiator, an external 1 collar ,movably surrounding said internal collarwhen the device is assembled for use,

means for attachmentto' the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external" collar surrounding said internal collar, a closure for said'external collar adapted to. carry an auxiliary device, a, pivot pin permanently securing said closure, to the external collar, and separate non-integral 7 means enclosed between and maintaining said collars in assembled relation against theft. V

13. I The combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough and having means for attachment to the threaded filling opening of a radiator, an external collar movably surrounding said internal collar when the device is assembled for use, a

closure forfsaid external collar adapted to carry an auxiliary device, a pivot pin permanently securing said closureto the exterenclosed between and-maintaining said c0llars in assembled relation against theft." J

14;. The-combination of an internal collar having an opening therethrough andv having means for attachment tothe threadednfilling' nal collar, and separate non i'nte'gral means '125' opening of a radiator, an external collar surrounding said internal collar, a closure for said external collar adapted to" carry an auxiliary device, a pivot pin permanently tor filling opening, means including two collars relatively movable in assembled condition, one fitting around the other, for connecting said closure to said radiator but permitting a limited. opening movement thereof, said means being releasable from said radiator only when said radiator is in abnormal position.

17. In combination, a closure for a radia tor fillingopening, means for connecting said closure to said radiator but permitting a limited opening movement thereof, said means being releasable from said radiator means including two only when said radiator is in abnormal posi tion, aone way clutch reversible upon inverting the radiator being associated With said means.

18. A combined radiator cap and indicator comprising; an indicator, a cap member, means for securing the indicator to said "ap member against.unwarranted removal to prevent theft, and'means securing the cap member and indicator to the projected neck portion of a radiator to prevent unwarranted removal and theft thereof when ati tached to the radiator, said last mentioned means being attached to the cap and indicater to permit opening thereof for filling the radiator.

19..A. combined radiator cap and indie eator comprising an indicator, a cap member, means for securing the indicator to said cap member against unwarranted removal to prevent theft, and means securing the cap member and indicator to the projectednecl: portion of a radiator to prevent unwarranted removal and theft thereof when attached to the radiator,said last mentioned means being hingedly connected to the cap an dindicator to permit opening thereof'for filling the radiator.

In testimony whereof, We have subscribed our names. 1 v

HARVEY S. PARDEE. JOHN A. DEVVIRE. 

